Rotary multi-position switch



March 17, 1959 A. w. GRASHOFF ET AL 2,878,330

ROTARY MULTI-POSITION SWITCH Filed July 8, 1958 86 10o 84 I 45 4 20 4 L P; 4

FIGJI INVENTORS 62 62 62 42 54 62 ADOLPH W-GRASHOF'F 54 54 GENE M-ARTHUR 56 56 BY MD M FIGJO FIGS F168 AGENT United States Patent ROTARY MULTI-POSITION SWITCH Adolph W. Grashotf and Gene M. Arthur, Logansport, Ind., assignors to Essex Wire Corporation Application July 8, 1958, Serial No. 747,156

2 Claims. (Cl. 200-8) Thisv invention relates to electric switches and more particularly to rotary multi-position switches. This invention in particularly applicable to. rotary multi-position electric switches adapted for operation by transmission control means mounted upon the steering column of a vehicle.

Automotive vehicles arenow commonly equipped with automatic transmissions which are controlled by mechanical linkage between the transmission. and; a rotatably movable control lever mounted upon the. steering column of the vehicle. Such vehicles are also commonly equipped with one or more switches actuated by the transmission control lever for energizing the back-up lights upon movement of thecontrol lever to its reverse position and for controlling the operation of the engine starter so that the engine can be started only when the control lever is in its park and/ or neutral positions.

One object of the present invention is to provide a multi-position rotary switch of the above character which is of simple construction and few parts and which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary multi-position switch which operates smoothlyat all times and which is dependable in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary multi-position switch of the above character which is of compact'size particularly adapted for installation in a limited space.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a rotary multi-position switch embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the switch as seen from the top of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the switch taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the switch taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, the switch being shown in a difierent position of operation;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the switch case as seen from the bottom of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the switch case as seen from the top of Figure 2;

Figures 8, 9, l0, and 11 are enlarged plan views of four terminal members employed in the switch.

Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated a rotary multi-position switch comprising a generally cylindrical case 20 of insulating material, Such as molded thermosetting resin or other plastic material, having a relatively large generally cylindrical recess 22 in the lower face 24 of the case 20. Recess 22 terminates short of the upper face 26 to provide an end wall 28 having an opening 30. Face 24 of the case 20 is provided with five radially disposed notches 32 extending between the periphery of the recess 22 and the exterior of the case 20. The

2,878,330 Patented Mar. 17, 1959 periphery of the recess 22 is provided with circumferentially spaced ribs 34 which are substantially in radial alignment with the notches 32. Disposed upon the face 26 of the case 20 in substantially radial alignment with notches 32 are notches 36 extending from the periphery of opening 30 to the exterior of case 20. Extending from notches 36 through the end wall 28 are slots 38 which are disposed adjacent their corresponding ribs 34.

Mounted in the case 20 are four sheet-metal stationary contact and terminal members 40, 42, 44, and 46, respectively, which are illustrated in Figures 8, 9, l0, and ll. Terminal members 40, 42, and 44 each comprise a flat elongated blade 48 having a pair of shoulders 50 extending laterally outward from the side edges of the blade adjacent its junction with a shank portion 52.

Integral with the shank portion 52 and extending at right angles therefrom is a flat contact portion 54 which is provided at its extremity with a narrow tongue 56. Terminal 46 includes a blade 48 extending atv right angles from a web portion 58 whose opposite ends are extended to provide wing portions 60 which are bent to lie in planes defining an obtuse angle between them. Integral with each wing portion 60 and extending at right angles therefrom is a shank portion 52 from whose opposite end perpendicularly extends a contact portion 54 having a narrow tongue 56 at its end.

Terminal members 40 and 42 are positioned in the-case 20 with their shank portions'52 lying in adjacent notches 32, their contact portions 54 lying against the corresponding ribs 34, and their tongues 56 projecting through corresponding slots 38 in the end'wall 28. The projecting ends of tongue 56 are bent over to lie in notches 38 for preventing movement of the terminal members relative to the case 20. Terminal members 44 and 46 are similarly mounted in the case 20 with the shank portion 52 of terminal member 44 lying in a notch 32 intermediatev two other notches 32 in which the shank portions 520i terminal member 46 are placed. It will be seen, that the blade 48 of terminal member 44 lies intermediate wing portions 60 of terminal member 46 and below web portion 58 and blade 48 of terminal member 46. The adjacent edges of the contact portions 54 of terminal members 40 and 42 and the adjacent edges of the contact portions 54 of terminal members 44 and 46 areprovided with integral side flanges 62 extendingat an angle toward the case 22 for purposes which will be subsequently explained.

The lower face 24 of case 20 is closed by a separate cover plate 64 of thin sheet insulating material to form a hollow switch housing for accommodating a generally cylindrical actuator 66 which is formed of insulating material. Actuator 66 includes a carrier portion 68 rotatably received in recess 22 of case 20, a hub portion 70 of reduced diameter extending through opening 30 of the case end wall 28, and an end portion 72 comprising a plurality of resilient fingers 74 for engagement of the hollow end of a transmission control member (not shown).

Projecting from the face of the carrier portion 68 is a short cylindrical button 76 serving as a bearing element to reduce friction between the actuator 66 and the cover plate 64. The face of carrier portion 68 is also provided with two generally rectangular elongated channels 78 having one open end facing the cover plate 64 and the other open end facing the contact portions 54 of the terminal members. A conductive ball 80 located in each channel 78 is biased against the contact portions 54 of the terminal members by a coil spring 82 confined in the channel 78. When the actuator 66 is rotated, balls 80 are carried over the contact portions 54 of the terminal members bridging the side flanges 62 of adjacent terminal members. The balls 80 easily roll over the contact portions 54 to provide smooth operation of the switch at all times. In the position of the actuator 66 shown in Figure 5, one of the balls 80 bridges terminal members 40 and 42 which may be connected in the back-up light circnit of a vehicle. Upon rotation of the actuator in either direction, such as to the position shown in Figure 4, the one ball 80 easily rides up one of the side flanges 62 while the other ball 80 bridges terminal members 44 and 46 which may be connected in the engine starting circuit of the vehicle.

Upon the upper face 26 of case 20 is placed a plate 84 of thin sheet insulating material to insulate the bent tongues 56 of the terminal members from a mounting plate 86 provided with flange arms 88 by which the switch may be mounted. The cover plate 64, case 20, and plate 84 are secured to the mounting plate 86 by three rivets 90. Plates 84 and 86 are provided, respectively, with large central apertures 92 and 94 through which the hub portion 70 of actuator 66 projects. Extending radially outward from apertures 92 and 94, respectively, are slots 96 and 98 for receiving a lug 100 integrally projecting from the upper face 26 of case 20. The position of the balls 80 relative to the contact portions 54 of the terminal members is indicated by the angular relationship of lug 100 and lug 102 integrally projecting from hub portion 70 of the actuator 66.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the invention provides a rotary multi-position switch of simple construction and few parts and which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured. It will also be evident that the switch arrangement may be varied to provide other circuit combinations in which other combinations of contact engagement may be made.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment and has included certain details, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary multi-position switch comprising a case of insulating material having a generally cylindrical recess extending from one face of the case and terminating short of the opposite face to provide an end wall having an opening therein; a plurality of radially disposed notches in said one face extending between the periphery of the recess and the exterior of the case; portions of the recess being removed to provide a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs disposed substantially in radial alignment with the notches in said one face; a plurality of narrow slots extending through the end wall of the case in substantially radial alignment with the notches in said one face; said slots terminating in notches disposed in said opposite face of the case; a plurality of sheet metal terminal members each having a shank por-- tion received in a notch in said one face of the case and having a terminal portion extending from one edge of the shank portion; each of the terminal members having a contact portion extending from another edge of the shank portion substantially perpendicularly thereto and overlying a rib in the periphery of the recess; each of the contact portions of the terminal members being provided at its extremity with a narrow tongue portion extending through a slot in the end wall of the case; the ends of the tongues projecting from the slots being bent over to lie in the notches in said opposite face; adjacent edges of cooperating contact portions of the terminal members having side flanges extending at an obtuse angle therefrom toward the periphery of the recess; a cover plate of insulating material closing said one face of the case; a face plate of insulating material covering said opposite face of the case and having a central aperture; a rotatable carrier positioned in the recess and having an operating portion extending through the opening in the end wall of the case and the aperture in the face plate; and conductive balls resiliently supported by the carrier and bridging the side flanges of the cooperating contact portions of the terminal members.

2. The rotary multi-position switch as defined in claim 1 wherein said actuator has a plurality of channels with open ends facing the cover plate and the periphery of the recess; each of said conductive balls being loosely disposed in the channels; a coil spring disposed in each of the channels for urging the ball into bridging contact with two adjacent contact portions of said terminal members, the channels and said cover plate cooperating to maintain the balls in position for cooperation with the contact portions of said terminal members.

References Cited in the file of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS 

